An Oxford police cruiser sits outside one of Oxford High School's buildings on Wednesday. Officials said the police presence would increase after a student made a threat. (Kirsten Fiscus/The Anniston Star)

Oxford High student facing threat charge after graffiti message

An Oxford police cruiser sits outside one of Oxford High School's buildings on Wednesday. Officials said the police presence would increase after a student made a threat. (Kirsten Fiscus/The Anniston Star)

An Oxford High School student on Wednesday was facing charges in connection to a threatening message written on a women’s bathroom stall, officials said.

Oxford police Capt. L.G. Owens said the school’s custodial staff found the message on Tuesday while cleaning the bathroom.

“We were notified by school administrators between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.,” Owens said. “We had an off-duty officer at the school and he actually sent me a message as soon as administrators were notified.”

Owens declined to specify what the message said or the nature of the message. The student, a 16-year-old girl whom Owens declined to name, wrote the message “not toward one individual specifically, but toward a group.”

“She said she wrote it because she believes some things go unattended and wanted to see how school officials would react to it,” he said. “Without giving further details, it was racial in nature.”

Roy Bennett, spokesperson for Oxford City Schools, wrote in an email Wednesday afternoon that the school takes students’ concerns seriously.

“Our teachers, administrators, and counselors are all available to students who have concerns, and we encourage our students to present their concerns in an appropriate manner,” he wrote.

The student was identified through a review of the school’s camera system, Owens said.

“We take all threats like that very seriously,” the captain said. “Currently, it’s still in the investigative process, but it looks like the child will be charged with making a terroristic threat.”

The student was not at school on Wednesday, the captain said.

“They have their procedures and they’ll have board hearings,” Owens said of the school district. “Her guardian is cooperating with police.”

Bennett declined to comment on any discipline the student may face.

Oxford police Chief Bill Partridge wrote a message on Tuesday evening online about the incident.

“We of course will have a higher than usual presence this week at the school,” he wrote.

Owens said the school typically has an officer on campus, but declined to say how the police presence would increase.

“The chief doesn’t like to give out his policing strategies to the public,” Owens said.

Making a terroristic threat is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.